


Rivalry

by Crepuscolaria



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Background Relationships, Enemies to Friends, Gen, grudging admiration, royed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26842288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crepuscolaria/pseuds/Crepuscolaria
Summary: This is a story about love, told through the evolution of a rivalry.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Rivalry

**Author's Note:**

> So: it's a stressful period and I am somewhat stuck. I'm writing 3 fictions that are making me crazy. I'm not sure this one was even worth publishing honestly, but it popped up in my mind suddenly and came out like this ^^" Still...I feel like there must be some kind of bond between two people who love the same individual and this was my interpretation of it. At least one part of it, since I'm planning to make Winry's POV too. As always, let me know if you end up enjoying it <3

Winry Rockbell is a brave child.  
She stares him right in the eyes, her little body shaking with fear.  
But she doesn’t let it stop her. And he can admire her fierceness in protecting her friends. He knows a thing or two about being brutally protective of his people.  
The choice in the end is not his. Nor hers.  
She can rage all she wants, and cry, and stomp her feet.  
He knows he’ll be the bad guy in her blue, innocent eyes.  
It’s not the worst of his sins.

\----------

Winry Rockbell is a wild teenager.  
It’s really not a surprise knowing who she grew up with.  
She comes and goes, a giant bag full of tools always on her shoulder.  
When she is around, his men keep repeating how she is cute, how she is the only one who can tame Fullmetal, how she is always smiling like a ray of sunshine.  
He never sees it, her smile.  
As soon as he enters the room, she turns silent.  
There’s a perpetual scowl on her face that is meant only for him.  
He gets it. He does. So he doesn’t blame her.  
If she is here, it means Fullmetal damaged his metal limbs.  
And it’s him who sends the boy on missions that put him in harm’s way.  
She is wild yes. But she is blinded by her own pain too.  
It’s not his duty to sit her down and explain that, no matter what, Fullmetal is not going to stop his research. Because he values his brother’s life above everything else.  
So he just nods politely to her, letting her scald his skin with the force of her judging stare.

\----------

Winry Rockbell is a perceptive young lady.  
And she positively despises him.  
That’s ok. He knows what she sees in his eyes.  
But she should understand, better than anyone else. Because whatever she sees in him, he has seen the same in her.  
He can picture her unwavering stare in his mind so clearly, while she demands he lets go of the Elrics.  
Like he was keeping them hostage. The nerve.  
Growing up how he did though, he knows how dangerous a jealous woman can be.  
Fullmetal, Edward, has already left his watch with him. Already said his goodbyes. So he just smiles, blankly, in the direction of her cutting voice.  
 _You don’t have anything to worry about._  
He assures, careful to keep his tone neutral.  
He still has Edward’s smell on his hospital gown, from the short, trembling, embrace he received.  
And he is sure she could smell his cologne on the blonde, while they passed each other on his room’s door.

\----------

Winry Rockbell is a strong woman trying her best to conceal her desperation, the next time he sees her.  
It’s been two years.  
She has been left behind again by the Elrics. She’s not the only one. And it is definitely not his doing this time.  
Al is in Xing to research Alkahestry, and Ed...well. Ed apparently is missing.  
Standing in his office, her hands strangling the handle of her purse, she looks like she’d much prefer to be anywhere else but here.  
Truth is though, there isn’t somebody else who could help.  
Who would have better resources than the military?  
So she swallows her pride and her hate and asks him to find Edward.  
He stares at her, finding nothing of the scared child she was.  
There’s no way he can dismiss her request.  
There will never be a day when he dismisses something concerning Edward Elric.  
He has had time to make peace with his feelings.  
She just nods at his promise to find him.  
She knows how it is, this love, so selfless and all consuming...It leaves a scar. One can never forget it for good.

\----------

When she gets out from the hospital room, Winry Rockbell is defeated and tired.  
His men found Ed in Drachma, hostage of a handful of thugs who wanted to use him to negotiate the release of a comrade, prisoner in Briggs. As if Olivier would ever accept an agreement with them.  
They hadn’t even managed to send the message before being found by the Intelligence team. Amateurs.  
He would have loved to incinerate them.  
But Ed is relatively fine. Some scratches and a stuck automail due to the cold.  
 _He wants to see you…_  
She murmurs, staring at him with a mixture of sadness and resignation.  
He is rooted to the spot while she advances, ending up with her forehead against his chest.  
Riza is staring at them from a little distance and doesn’t react while the girl hits his shoulder with tiny fists.  
 _Make him happy, you hear me?_ \- She whispers - _Make him happy, or i swear to God, i will tear away his leg for choosing you, and beat you to a pulp with it. Am i understood?_  
Her voice quivers just a bit.  
She is hurting, but she is brave, and wild, and strong.  
He circles her shoulders with an arm, murmuring apologies for everything he has taken from her.  
She lets out a single sob before pushing him away.  
 _Go. He gets cranky when he is in the hospital._  
And so Roy goes.  
And he makes good on his promise.

**Author's Note:**

> If you are seeing this: thank you for reading! <3


End file.
